Research topics

The COEUR cardiovascular research school makes a distinction between six research topics:

1. Cardiac and vascular biology and pharmacology.
   Molecular, biological and pathophysiological research for a better understanding of the mechanisms of occurrence and progression of cardiovascular diseases, and for testing new therapeutic principles (vasculogenesis, myogenesis, cell transplantation).
2. Vascular medicine, atherosclerosis, heart failure and stroke.
   Translationeel onderzoek, met name betreffende secundaire preventie van atherosclerose en hartfalen (zie patiëntenzorg).Farmacogenetisch onderzoek, gebruikmakend van grote klinische studies.
3. Cardiovascular imaging, image processing and diagnosis.
   Early detection of atherosclerosis by means of laboratory research and use of MRI and/or MultiSlice-CT. This can lead to focussed treatment of patients with vascular disease instead of general drug prevention in "high risk" groups.
   Development of medical technology for cardiovascular diagnosis, fundamental and translational research.
   Introduction of "real-time" 3D echocardiography and of MRI as imaging techniques for diagnosis and for intravascular and intracardiac interventions.
4. Surgical and interventional therapy for cardiovascular diseases.
   Introduction and evaluation of stereotaxis for positioning catheters during electrophysiological and mechanical percutaneous interventions.
   Further development of percutaneous techniques for revascularization in coronary heart disease, and for treatment of specific, structural defects in the heart. Introduction of angiogenesis in clinical practice.
   Development of new partly less invasive surgical techniques for treatment of structural heart defects. Synergy is achieved with lung surgery (ROTS - Rotterdam Oncological Thoracic Study group) and with lung transplantation.
   
5. Congenital heart disease.
   Follow-up research in cohorts of patients with congenital defects, new imaging (3D-echocardiograpjy, MRI), rhythm disorders.
6. Cardiovascular clinical epidemiology.
   Decision analysis research to support cardiological and surgical practice. Large-scale epidemiological and clinical epidemiological research to chart further the molecular-genetic and ambient factors that contribute to the development of cardiovascular diseases.
   Surveys of the practice of cardiology and cardiovascular medicine after studying groups of treated patients.

An important part of the research is translational, and will be closely allied with patient care, in particular in the field of acute coronary syndromes (myocardial infarction treatment center and further improvement of treatment of acute coronary syndromes), interventional cardiology, vasculogenesis, myogenesis (treatment in case of heart failure), heart rhythm disorders and improved surgical treatment.

New research is being set up regarding improved peri-procedural support for heart surgery and interventional cardiology, in cooperation with anesthesia and intensive care.

Part of the large-scale (multicenter) clinical research, led by staff from the Thoraxcenter, is co-ordinated by the independent organization for clinical trials: Cardialysis/Trialogic b.v..